YES Prep. Northside Elementary

YES Prep. Northside Elementary at 5215 Jensen St. in Houston is undergoing a $17,000,000 renovation and alteration project spanning 71,472 sq ft. The work involves renovating the existing school structure and adding exterior enclosed corridors around the building. The project is registered with TDLR and targeted for June 2028.

Project Scope and Design

Element Architects serves as the design firm of record for this substantial upgrade. The scope extends beyond interior repairs to include significant exterior modifications, specifically the addition of enclosed corridors that will likely alter the building's footprint and circulation patterns. Tim Mullins is the registered accessibility specialist ensuring the renovated facility meets TABS requirements. The estimated cost of $238 per square foot is above the Harris County median of $80 per square foot for similar renovation filings, reflecting the complexity of integrating new exterior structures with an existing educational facility.

YES Prep. Public Schools is the owner of record, which also holds five other TDLR-registered projects in Harris County totaling $52,550,000. These include other elementary and secondary schools in Houston, indicating a broader portfolio of educational infrastructure development by the organization. The project is privately funded on private land for private use, distinguishing it from public funding streams often associated with school districts.

Timeline and Regulatory Status

The construction start date listed in the filing is June 2017, with a scheduled completion date of June 2028. This represents a build window of 4,018 days, which is longer than the Harris County median of 92 days for renovation and alteration projects. The project was registered with TDLR in September 2026, and plan review is pending.

The surrounding area, ZIP code 77026, has a population of about 20,536 according to U.S. Census ACS 2023 five-year estimates. The median household income in this area is $34,835, and the median owner-occupied home value is $104,800. Housing in this region is mostly renter-occupied. These demographic factors provide context for the community served by the renovated school, though they do not directly impact the construction specifications or regulatory requirements of the project itself.